Author: solarenergy
Tesla’s commitment to energy storage broke its own year-over-year records for the next year in a row in 2024. January 3, 2025 Tristan Rayner Image: pv magazine, Eckhart Gouras By ESS news Tesla broke its own records again in 2024, announcing to the market that it had deployed 31.4 GWh of energy storage for the year. The record came just as Tesla said it had been achieved pilot production in the new Megapack factory in Shanghai. In its fourth quarter production release, the company announced that it had deployed 11.0 GWh of its energy storage products through its Megapack and…
A British-Swedish research team reviewed all models for designing and simulating solar-powered heat pump systems of different complexities. Based on this work, the scientists proposed a new method that combines five models from multiple computer programs into a single analysis tool that reportedly produces accurate critical metrics for engineering, economic and climate impact analysis. January 3, 2025 Emiliano Bellini An international research team has conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the models used to define best practices for designing and simulating different configurations of PV-powered heat pump (HP) systems and identified key performance indicators for electricity generation and total life cycle…
By Brad Kramer January 2, 2025 Adapture Renewables Inc. crossed the finish line three months early with the completion of a 67 MW utility-scale solar project in Hunt County, Texas. The company completed construction and commenced commercial operations of the facility that will generate renewable energy to help meet the growing demand for electricity in the wake of data center growth. The site will support an unnamed corporate buyer, a Fortune 50 company, as part of its broader sustainability goals to achieve net zero targets. “Completing the project ahead of schedule reflects the hard work of our team and partners,…
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) has issued a final order regarding NV Energy’s three-year resource plan, which takes a positive step forward by holding NV Energy accountable and valuing distributed energy resources such as local solar and storage as cost-effective. measures. In the decision, the PUCN mandates more regular and substantive interactions with stakeholders, with the aim of ensuring that resource planning is thoroughly discussed and feedback is incorporated. In addition, NV Energy has been instructed to improve its behind-the-meter storage (BTM) reporting in future Demand Side Management (DSM) updates and to include additional benefits from local energy…
Natural disasters can strike without warning, leaving communities without power when they need it most. In these critical moments, solar energy emerges as a lifeline, providing essential power for emergency response, medical care, and basic survival needs. From portable solar generators to rapidly deployable solar microgrids, this sustainable technology is revolutionizing disaster relief efforts worldwide. The Critical Role of Power in Crisis When disasters hit, power infrastructure often takes the hardest hit. Downed power lines, damaged transformers, and disrupted grid connections can leave entire regions in darkness for days or even weeks. This loss of electricity affects every aspect of…
University of Maryland to develop sustainable energy systems for ocean monitoring systems University of Maryland researcher Stephanie Lansing has been awarded $7.8 million by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to lead the development of a biologically powered energy system aimed at transforming power generation for ocean monitoring equipment worldwide. Today’s ocean monitoring devices, essential for understanding marine ecosystems, tracking climate change, and maintaining national security, rely heavily on lithium-ion batteries or extensive underwater cables for power. Lansing’s groundbreaking project aims to replace these conventional systems by harnessing microorganisms and specialized bacteria to fuel a marine microbial energy source…
Researchers from the University of New South Wales examined the impact of sodium-induced degradation in heterojunction solar cells under accelerated moist heat tests. They considered three different types of sodium salts and identified the degradation mechanisms attributed to each contaminant. January 3, 2025 Emiliano Bellini A research team from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Chinese-Canadian solar panel manufacturer Canadian Solar has investigated how heterojunction (HJT) solar cells are affected by sodium (Na) and moisture degradation under accelerated moisture-heat tests and discovered that most degradation modes primarily affect the cells themselves, making cell-level testing preferable. “The main motivation…
Professor Mark Z. Jacobson of Stanford University spoke with pv magazine about recent research showing that California can easily rely on a large electricity grid dominated by wind-water-solar energy. He says current electricity prices in the state are high due to several reasons that have nothing to do with renewable energy sources. These include high fossil gas prices and the costs of modernizing aging transmission and distribution lines. January 3, 2025 Emiliano Bellini New research from Standford University has shown that California could rely massively on renewable energy to meet its electricity demand, without the risk of blackouts and high…
The Chinese manufacturer said its new LB-5D-G2 battery delivers excellent performance with a capacity of 5.12 kWh for a single unit and up to 81.92 kWh for 16 batteries operating in parallel. January 3, 2025 Emiliano Bellini By ESS news Chinese microinverter manufacturer Hoymiles has unveiled a new lithium iron phosphate (LFP) energy storage system for residential and C&I PV systems. “The LB-5D-G2 battery offers excellent performance with a capacity of 5.12 kWh for a single unit and up to 81.92 kWh for 16 batteries in parallel, suitable for home and small C&I scenarios,” the company said in a statement.…
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has published aerial images of the Great Solar Wall, China’s largest renewable energy project. The installation is expected to reach a capacity of 100 GW by 2030. January 2, 2025 Emiliano Bellini Image: Michala Garrison, NASA NASA has published a new series of photos of the Great Solar Wall, a giant cluster of PV energy projects in the Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia. “The Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia, sandy and largely devoid of life, once had the reputation of being a ‘sea of death’. More recently, the dune fields have become…